Reflections on life in the global village

Nudism/Naturism: The libertine experience

Does it surprise anyone that a new “affordable” campsite combining the “libertine” (i.e. swingers’) lifestyle and naturism in France is a big hit?

The Diamant Noir site in the Dordogne in southwestern France “has just had a fully booked Easter weekend, a promising start for the new libertine natural hangout,” reports The Local, which presents news from France in English.

Apparently, “libertine naturist experiences” in France are very popular but quite expensive, Le Diamant Noir owner Bruno Mazaferro tells The Local. So, he started a campsite offering a range of accommodations at reasonable prices for people over the age of 21. Among the offerings: naughty animations (i.e. events) and libertine-themed evenings.

Says the report, quoting the owner, I am guessing:

The camp site, which is the third of its kind in France, promises “an exceptional setting, surrounded by nature, to spend a naturist and swingers holiday in complete freedom.”

I think this campsite was once hosting families because a video — from 2013, it appears — on its web page shows young people using the swimming pool. But Le Diamant Noir makes it clear on its web page that it “is reserved for people over the age of 21 years. Access is strictly forbidden to minors.”

It seems like a smart business move by the owners. After all, there are some 450 places dedicated to naturists in France, and presumably most of those are for families. Competition is probably quite fierce, and profits for some may not be very high.

Mazaferro seems to be tapping into, um, virgin territory with his business plan for an economical libertine site for swingers and naturists alike. (It probably should be stressed here that one doesn’t have to be a swinger to go to Le Diamand Noir.)

Of course, if this venture proves to be popular — and early indications are that it will — you know owners of other naturist sites with dwindling attendance will follow suit in France and elsewhere.

Which brings me to the United States and Canada, where many naturist organizations are seeing a decline in membership. A google search for “libertine naturism in Canada” and “the United States” failed to turn up any campgrounds. There must be some out there, but I’m not seeing or hearing anything about them.

I’m guessing many naturists are horrified by the idea that anyone would be connecting naturism with swinging, because naturism is all about non-sexual experiences, body acceptance, being one with nature, etc. Some might fear that sites like Le Diamant Noir will reinforce a false stereotype about “all naturists being swingers.” I doubt that, but if it does lead to some people thinking that way, so what?

The fact is, there are non-monogamous, polyamorous naturists who like to swing, and they should be free to have their places to indulge. To each their own — live and let live. They shouldn’t have to worry what anyone else thinks — because, you know, it doesn’t matter who you are or what your lifestyle is, somebody disagrees with it. Do you care what strangers think about the way you live your life?

If I had a chance to check out a site like Le Diamant Noir in my home province, would I go? Absolutely, if only to report on it for this blog and, possibly, for my newspaper. But longtime readers here know I am polyamorous by nature, even if I am in a monogamous relationship at the moment. If I were single, I might very well indulge in the swinging side of naturism at a place like Le Diamant Noir.

Regardless, though, of how you or I or naturism purists feel about it, we will probably see more places like Le Diamant Noir open for business around the world, perhaps in your province or state.

“the State has no business in the bedrooms of the Nation”. The predators and religious extremists excepted. At least no one is going to be able to carry an assault weapon here. All though STD check mandatory. What the h**k is is a polyamorous? %@

“What is a polyamorous?” Are ya serious?! I won’t offer my understanding of it because that is only likely to start another argument of the “Are you a naturist or a nudist?” sort, and someone offering us a comprehensive treatise on gender\sexual orientation\sexual preferences that no-one asked for.

I’ve been both a naturist and a swinger, for many years, but I’ve always kept the two separate.

I can’t see swinging being a good direction for naturist clubs/resorts to move towards. The two really are quite different. If someone wants to open swingers resorts, they can do that, but to have them somehow thought of as being close in nature to naturism would be a mistake, I think. It certainly wouldn’t benefit the existing naturist resorts, rather it would feed into the already too prevalent stigmas in our societies about naturists. (Could even happen in France, depending on how the elections this weekend go. Tolerance and openness is not the current flowing strongest in our world, today.)

I like the idea of swinger campgrounds for more budget conscious people. However, I’d be skeptical about just how successful some swinger resorts will be in the long-run, and at what cost for true swingers?

Mostly what I’ve seen and heard of such places involves attracting a lot of voyeurs just there to gawk at naked bodies and hoping to see more. Sure, it could be restricted to only true swingers, but will that really be much more viable than the situation the struggling naturist resorts are already facing?

When you look at what happened to the swingers clubs in Montreal after they were legalized, where many clubs opened to try and catch that wave of new interest, only to see true swingers driven away by gawkers just there to watch, but not having the balls to participate (pun intended.) Lots of clubs saw that wave crash after a few short years as the gawkers had their brief thrill and then moved on. Even some clubs I frequented, which had been in business before the court decision, ended up closing, and the owner of one of the oldest clubs had predicted as much.

As far as such places in the States, they do exist, but probably wouldn’t find them under “libertine,” as that term isn’t really used in the U.S.

As for saving the flagging nudist/naturist industry, in Florida, two of the largest nudist resorts, Paradise Lakes and I think Caliente, decided at least eight or nine years ago to market to swingers. They both resigned their affiliation with AANR after concerns were raised.

I know a couple in their mid-30’s who visited Paradise Lakes after this conversion. They didn’t go as swingers, just as naturists looking for a Florida vacation. They were quite turned-off. She said she felt like she was on display whenever she walked through the resort alone, with guys checking her out constantly.

It seems, really to no surprise, the gawkers push out the true naturists, too.

It’s nice that they make a clear distinction between “naturist” and “libertine” (even if some people can belong to both categories). Unfortunately this is not always the case, and many swinger places are announced as “naturist resorts”.

When we speak of lifestyles a most difficult position to be in is a liberated naturalist in Quebec. Add to this the pleasure of enjoying being nude with nature as a male further compounds the issue as you are labelled a pervert if attempting to enjoy this lifestyle without a female companion. Not everyman’s wife wants to be a nudist.

Combining nudism with a liberated lifestyle, in my opinion, does not cross boundaries if it is clearly labelled as such. The notion that nudists do not have liberated values is ridiculous, nudism is just a state of being, while your choice of sexual lifestyles is more emotional. Why can the two not be enjoyed together?

I would love to see if there are enough liked minded individuals here in Quebec ready to start such a project.